Is done, Was done (passive 1) | Improve Tuition | Tutors | Tuition | Tutoring

The active voice is the most common. It expresses the action of a verb directly linking it to the person or thing carrying out the action.

E.g The police hit the rioter. (=ACTIVE)

police = thing carrying out the action/subject

hit = action/verb

rioter = object

The passive voice changes the focus of the sentence by re-ordering the elements.

The subject is acted upon the verb.

E.g The rioter was hit by the police. (=PASSIVE)

rioter = in the active voice this is the object, but in the passive voice this becomes the subject and is emphasised more

hit = passive verb

by the police = thing doing the action

Comparisons of active and passive

Mum cleans my bedroom every day. (=ACTIVE)
My bedroom is cleaned by mum every day. (=PASSIVE)

Thomas ate fish and chips for dinner. (=ACTIVE)
At dinner, fish and chips were eaten by Thomas. (=PASSIVE)

My brother washed the dishes. (=ACTIVE)
The dishes were washed by my brother. (=PASSIVE)

Dad won the swimming competition. (=ACTIVE)
The swimming competition was won by dad. (=PASSIVE)

Susan read all the Harry Potter books in one day. (=ACTIVE)
The Harry Potter books were read by Susan in one day. (=PASSIVE)

Dina Tokio posted a video on YouTube. (=ACTIVE)
The video was posted on Youtube by Dina Tokio. (=PASSIVE)

My sister emailed the homework to my teacher. (=ACTIVE)
The homework was emailed to my teacher by my sister. (=PASSIVE)

The teacher teaches the student. (=ACTIVE)
The students are taught by the teacher (=PASSIVE)

The passive is –

Present simple	Am/is/are (not)	Past participle
Past simple	Was/were (not)	Past participle

Most of the time you can identify the passive because it is followed with ‘by’
Passive + by

E.g The dress was made by Alexander McQueen.

She was pushed off her bike by a stranger.

The picture was drawn by my little sister.

Examples:

Lemonade is made from lemons.
I am invited to George’s house.
She is scared of her teacher.
My bedroom is cleaned by a cleaner.
My car is broken.
They are never invited to parties.
We aren’t allowed to eat sweets during the week.
She was lost.
The house was built 3 years ago.
The food was ordered by Brian.
The cake was not made by me.

Share the Love: www.improvetuition.org

Is done, was done (passive 1) Exercises

Change the following active sentences into passive sentences.

It is snowing.

I will clean my bedroom on Friday night.

My sister painted a picture of a flower.

The teachers enjoyed the cake I made.

No one listened to the plan that I suggested.

The science class found the lesson boring

2. Label which of the following sentences are present simple or past simple.

They are never invited to parties.

Lemonade is made from lemons.

The house was built 3 years ago.

We aren’t allowed to eat sweets during the week.

I am invited to George’s house.

The cake was not made by me.

She is scared of her teacher.

She was lost.

My bedroom is cleaned by a cleaner.

My car is broken.

The food was ordered by Brian.

3. Use the appropriate words in the missing gaps.

ACTIVE:

PASSIVE:

ACTIVE:

PASSIVE:

ACTIVE:

PASSIVE:

Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next

1 2 3 4 5 6

“Every accomplishment starts With the decision to try.” Gail Dever

++44 (0)1924 506010

Table of Contents

Voice

Comparisons of active and passive